


Krampus Kringle

by ZeldaByrdeBishop



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, Krampus - Freeform, but very cute Zarie, terrifying father figures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28222431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeldaByrdeBishop/pseuds/ZeldaByrdeBishop
Summary: Zelda Spellman is not the type of woman to believe in fairytales.....or is she?
Relationships: Marie LaFleur/Zelda Spellman
Comments: 5
Kudos: 20





	Krampus Kringle

December 5, 1536

Greendale, USA

“ZELDA!!!!!” 

The sound of Reginald Spellman’s bellow sent a shiver down the four year old’s spine as she quickly hid behind the couch in the parlor. 

His booming steps sounded down the hall until his boots hit the parlor floor. “ZELDA. When I call for you - you COME!” He demanded, hoisting the girl out from behind the couch. 

“Reginald,” her mother soothed entering the room, her blonde curls swishing with her hurried entrance as she bounced her infant in her arms, hoping to keep Hilda asleep. “There’s no need to yell.”

Reginald shot a glare in his wife’s direction that caused her to take a step back before squaring her feet to continue, “Zelda was only trying to call for the sugar plum fair-”

“And in doing so opened the window blowing OUT THE YULE LOG!”

Zelda shivered in her father’s hands, sniffing as she wiped away tears, her voice a series of choked hiccups as she tried to apologize. She wasn’t even trying to be bad and she still managed to mung it all up! 

“Edward is relighting it, Darling. It’s only been out for a few moments. It’s unlikely anything has gotten inside.”

Her father scowled and set Zelda down onto the floor before beginning to storm out to ensure the log was relit properly, only to whip back halfway to the door to jab his finger at the girl. “If you’re not careful Saint Nick will come rapping on your tiny little skull tonight with his coal pick and Krampus will EAT YOU before you even have a chance to scream!”

Francis scowled after her husband as he left the room before turning back to her daughter, whose red corkscrew curls were already bounding away to the cellar where the girl liked to hide. The woman sighed to herself and rubbed Hilda’s back, grateful for the silence and deep sleep her youngest excelled at. She would have to take some cookies down to the cellar and “accidentally leave them” after retrieving a random object from one of the many chests that the underground lair housed. Heaven knows at this rate the girl wouldn’t end the year with any Solstice presents no matter how hard she argued on her behalf. 

***

That night, after a few restless hours, Zelda waited until she thought everyone would be asleep before creeping up to her mother’s side of her parent’s bed and very  _ very _ carefully tried to sneak under the blankets. 

Her mother shifted in her sleep, the movement rousing her father, who grumbled her mother’s name. Her mother’s eyes slowly opened, looking down to the tiny girl beside her. 

Zelda kept her voice to hardly a whisper trying not to anger her father any further than she already had today, “Maman, Kann ich mit dir dormir?”

Her mother frowned deeply and shook her head, sitting up carefully to prevent disturbing Zelda’s father further. “Non..” 

Zelda frowned as the woman lifted her up and buried her face into her mother’s neck, keeping her as close as possible, as she was walked back down the hall and set her into bed. Her mother gently tucked the covers around the girl, ensuring the tiny witch was as snug as a bug beneath the blankets before releasing her hold to leave.

Zelda could feel her fear rising as her mother turned to go back to bed and quickly reached back out to grab the edge of her nightgown. 

“Maman! Bitte! Ich fürchte Krampus mich manger wollen!” 

Francis sighed softly and sat down on the edge of Zelda’s bed. “What have I told you about mixing languages, Zelda? If you don’t remember a word...?”

“Fragen…”

Francis nodded and gently rubbed the girl’s stomach, “Krampus is not going to eat you unless you deserve it. He only eats the worst little witches and warlocks.” 

Little Zelda’s lower lip started to tremble. 

“Go to sleep and don’t wake your father and I again,” her mother finished after drawing a soft “X” over the girl’s chest, leaving only the lingering smell of her perfume for the girl to cling to as protection.

The door to her room latched shut and she pulled the covers up to her chin, afraid to hide under the blankets, while equally afraid to stay as she was. 

She lied there for hours, watching the shadows of the trees play against the wood paneling of her walls, wishing desperately to close her eyes and fall asleep, but the sleep would not come. 

Then suddenly, as the clock struck three, she heard the clambering of tiny hooves above her on the roof and the jingle of bells on a sleigh.

Could it be? 

She froze as a large bang opened her window filling the room with the whipping winter wind and painful ice filled snow as an enormous hairy shadowy figure crashed through the window and onto her floor. 

This was no jolly old man.

This was no Saint Nick.

She kept her eyes trained on the goat like form that seemed to grow and grow, filling the room, until he disappeared, erasing himself out of thin air, but she could hear the slow drag of the jingling chains as Krampus’ hooves rung against her floor with each step, drawing closer and closer to her bed. Her body trembled as his looming shadow began to slowly etch across her walls. His long claws dripped with the blood of mortal children. His breath, full of brimstone and bile overtaking her nose as antlers slowly rose from beneath her bedside to reveal his face. 

The young witch was so frightened all she could do was shake as she took in his bared sharp fangs, hairy face, and huge jaundice bloodshot eyes. She was glued to the spot, terrified she might even wet the bed as his long, slippery, bright red tongue reached out to scrape against her soft pale cheek. 

He was going to eat her!

She sniffled and tried to speak, to beg the monster not to eat her, but her lips couldn’t form the words. She tried so hard to be a good little witch! Couldn’t he see?

With a hiss the goat monster slowly lifted his claws into the air - posing them as if to slaughter her, before suddenly turning his hand to curl towards the ceiling, his claw holding a large rusty bell from a dirty red ribbon. 

The four year old’s eyes widened, looking between the monster and the bell before slowly reaching out to take the object, holding it tenderly within her palms. 

“Danke, Krampu-” She began, only to look up and find the monster gone. 

***

December 1st, 1969

Greendale, USA

Marie smiled to herself as she hung one of the last golden ornaments onto the Yule Tree, listening as Ambrose told Judas and Lettie-Jude the legend of Krampus and Saint Nick. 

“So, you’d better hope you’ve been good little witches….or…..in a few days, on the night before the 5th of December, Saint Nick just might beat Krampus to your door and make you smell like a mortal child and instead of leaving you a fun witch present Krampus will EAT YOU!” He concluded jumping at the twins causing them to shriek. 

Lettie-J quickly jumped up and ran over to where Zelda sat on the floor among the ornament boxes, unwrapping the last ornament - ironically a glass Krampus, and wrapped her arms around the redhead’s neck. Judas hugged one of the nearby pillows and worked not to bury his face in it, trying to appear brave. 

Marie gently took the Krampus ornament from Zelda’s polished fingers and stroked Lettie’s ear before turning to hang it on the tree, “There is nothing to be afraid of. Ces only a wives tale, ma petite…” 

Ambrose smirked and winked at his Aunt, “Not according to Auntie Zee!”

Marie smirked and looked down to Zelda who smiled at Ambrose before looking up to Marie with a cocked eyebrow. 

“Tu crois en Krampus?” The vodouisant cooed.

Zelda nodded surprisingly seriously. “Of course. Every good witch does! Which is why you two have nothing to fear. You’ve been nothing but excellent children all year! Saint Nick won’t even be able to set foot in our home!” 

Lettie and Judas visibly relaxed at their mother’s verbal confirmation that all would be well before Zelda gently tapped Lettie’s hand, “Now, why don’t you two help Ambrose with the rest of supper, or I’ll have to make a casserole.”

An expression of mutual disgust graced the faces of the twins as Lettie quickly got up, taking Vinnie T out of this assigned basket. “Let’s go, Vinnie! We’ve got to help Cousin Ambrose!” 

Marie watched, her arms loosely crossed as the twins left with Ambrose to the kitchen, leaving the women alone in the room. 

Zelda stood and looked up at the tree behind Marie, reaching over her shoulder to adjust an ornament only for Marie to capture her wrist on its way back. The high priestess’s focus came back to Marie, her eyes giving off a fresh playful glint, opening her lips to speak, but Marie beat her to it. 

“It’s not like you to believe in fairytales…..” She pressed, running her finger over the telling lines of the woman’s palm. 

Zelda smirked and instinctively flattened her palm. “It’s not like you to not believe in fairytales.”

“I believe in spirits and their energies,” she scolded with a smirk of her own.

Zelda’s smirk grew, “My apologies.”

Marie closed her hands over Zelda’s and squeezed her hand gently. 

“Has Krampus ever left a gift for you?”

Zelda nodded, “When I was young. I still have the first present he ever gave me - a rusty little bell. That bell was all I received that Yule season. My parents were quite privy to rule declaring naughty children shouldn’t receive Yule gifts to reward their bad behavior.”

Marie’s lips pulled into a soft pout on her witch’s behalf before leaning in to touch the tip of her nose to Zelda’s, taking her time to take in the woman’s scent, feeling Zelda’s breath quicken against their hands before finally pressing her lips against the woman’s. The red head wasted no time, unlike her counterpart, her free hand coming up to rest just under Marie’s right breast. 

Marie pulled back slightly to whisper against the witch’s lips. “Will Krampus bring you a present this year?”

Zelda’s tongue came out to wet her lips, “I believe he already has...”

“AUNTIES! Dinner time!” Ambrose called from the kitchen, banging on the base of a pan with a spoon. 

Marie grinned and stole one last kiss before presenting the path before them, keeping her woman’s hand firmly within hers, not needing an old ruddy man or a mythical goat creature to bring her everything she could want this holiday season. She had it right here. A woman who secretly believed in fairytales; lacing their fingers together to walk towards the kitchen, side by side, taking their time. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Baby Zelda is out here throwing all of the languages she's learning into a mixing pot like I used to in high school until I would get in trouble. 
> 
> Maman, Kann ich mit dir dormir? - Mom, Can I sleep with you? (mostly German but Mom and the verb "to sleep" is in French with German conjugation)
> 
> Maman! Bitte! Ich fürchte Krampus mich manger wollen! - Mom! Please! I'm afraid Krampus will eat me! (once again, mostly German, but Mom and the verb "to eat" is in French (the Irish language is closer to German so I assume Zelda learned German before she learned French as it would have been easier to teach)
> 
> Fragen - the verb "to ask" in German
> 
> Tu crois en Krampus? - You believe in Krampus? (French)


End file.
